The Marauders Read the Books Book One
by amethyst sylph
Summary: The summer before seventh year, Remus finds some unusual books.


Disclaimer: I own nothing but the comments. The books belong to J K Rowling.

Spoilers: SS/PS (others only in the sense that it contains certain characters).

Rating is subject to change, if you think it's wrong, tell me, cause I wasn't sure about it.

I've alway wanted to do one of these stories, and now here it is. I'm not sure what style I want to do the whole thing in, so chapter 2 will be in the other style, and the readers can choose...unless it turns out I like one a lot more than the other whilst I'm writing it. Anyway, here's chapter 1.

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The Marauders Read the Books – Book 1

Chapter 1

"Now why don't you four run along whilst dinner is being made?" asked James' mum.

"Okay. Come on, let's go to my room."

As they walked through the door, there was a flash of light and they ended up in a completely different room.

"Hey James, I have never figured YOU to be a secret Slytherin supporter." commented Lily. The room they had entered was coloured a deep green, with sparkly silver paint splattered in various places. Even the bed was green.

"This isn't my room."

"But didn't you just say…?"

"Yeah but this isn't it. This room isn't even in my house."

Sirius looked out of the window, and started in surprise. Instead of the rolling welsh countryside, the view was of a city, along what appeared to be a man made river. "Um, Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." he announced, proving once and for all that he **did** listen in Muggle Studies…at least to the good bits.

Whilst the other three looked out of the window, Remus was looking at the bookcase. "Discworld series, Narnia, Belgariad…I think these are muggle books!"

"Great. How exactly are we going to explain that we randomly appeared in their home by a flash of light to a muggle?" asked James.

"With difficulty." Lily replied dryly.

"Guys! Look here! The Harry Potter series! Any relation of yours James?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Besides, why would a muggle own a book about anyone from **our** world?"

"Good point."

"Still, we've got nothing better to do, since we don't know how we got here. What's the first book called Remus?"

"Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Do you guys want to read it? It could be interesting." The others shrugged. "Okay I'll start."

"_**Chapter One – The Boy Who Lived."**_

"Uh Remus, I hate to break it to you, but most boys live…" began Sirius.

"Don't blame me I didn't write it!"

"Shush." commanded Lily.

"_**Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."**_

"You're welcome!"

"Shut up Sirius."

"_**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills."**_

"What's a drill?" asked James.

"Ooh, ooh, I know this!" Sirius bounced up and down.

"Go on then what are they?" asked Remus amusedly.

"They're this metal thingy. You turn the handle and it twizzles around and makes holes in stuff."

"Cool."

"Nowadays they're electric." corrected Lily.

"Anyway**, _He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. Mrs Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours."_**

"That sounds like my sister." said Lily.

"The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley – " 

"Oh the poor child."

"I dunno, it's no worse than some pureblood names." said James.

"Yeah, my cousin Andy called her little girl Nymphadora."

"Ouch."

" – _**and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere. The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, - "**_

"Ooh gossip!" Sirius shrieked girlishly.

" – _**and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters."**_

I sympathise with them entirely. I wouldn't tell anyone I knew you either." Remus said with a straight face.

"Hey!"

"_**Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish – "**_

"Is that even a word?"

"Shush."

"Yes Ma'am."

" – _**as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that. When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, - "**_

"You mean it hasn't already?"

"Sirius! Stop interrupting!"

"You're so easy to wind up."

" – _**there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his highchair."**_

"Urgh, I hate noisy children." said Sirius.

"_**None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window."**_

"Well why would they? It's not that unusual."

"You **need **to take Muggle Studies James."

"_**At half-past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls."**_

"Brat." they said in unison.

"'_**Little tyke,' chortled Mr Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map."**_

"It's gotta be an animagus."

"Bet it's McGonagall."

"_**For a second, Mr Dursley didn't realise what he has seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light."**_

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that Dursley."

"**_Mr Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said _Privet Drive_ – no, _looking_ at the sign; cats couldn't read maps _or _signs."_**

"Unless they're animagi."

"**Yes **Sirius we know."

"_**Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks."**_

"What's strange about cloaks?"

"Muggles don't wear them."

"Why not?"

"'Cause they don't! Jeez!"

"Take a chill pill Lil."

"Sirius…"

"Eep!"

"_**Mr Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes – the get-ups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion."**_

"Cloaks aren't stupid!"

"_**He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald green cloak!"**_

"Slytherin supporter." Sirius muttered.

"_**The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something…yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills. Mr Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning."**_

"Impossible! How could you possibly not focus on drills?"

"Padfoot, I'd stop if I were you. There's a vein throbbing on Lily's forehead."

"**He _didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead."_**

"Why are so many people sending letters?" Lily asked. "It's against the Secrecy Act."

"_**Most of them had never seen an owl even at night-time."**_

How do muggles send their mail then?"

"Royal Mail postal service."

"…?"

"Postmen pick up the letters from one town and drive all letters going to a certain town there, and then another postman goes round putting them through the doors."

"Sounds stupid."

"It's not actually, its fairly efficient." said Remus. "But can we get back to the story? **_Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more."_**

"Sounds just like a desk job in the ministry – completely pointless."

"_**He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakers opposite."**_

"Pig. What's wrong with sandwiches?"

"I see him more as the doughnut type personally."

"_**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, - "**_

"Ha! Told you so."

"Did you cheat Sirius?"

"Moi?"

"That's a yes then."

"I may have…peeked." he admitted.

" – _**that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**_

'_**The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard –'**_

'_**- yes, their son, Harry –' "**_

"Actually, Harry is quite a cool name, I think I'll call my kid it."

"Maybe this book is **about **your kid."

"Suuure Remus. Whatever you say."

"_**Mr Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him."**_

"Cool! How does that work?"

"It's just an expression James."

"_**He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking…no, he was being stupid."**_

"At least he's honest about it. Lying to yourself only ends in tears."

"**_Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure if his nephew _was_ called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold."_**

"Ugh I hope not. That would be almost as cruel as Dudley."

"There was no point in worrying Mrs Dursley, - " 

"Why does he refer to his wife in the third person?"

"No idea, ask the writer."

" – **_she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her – if _he'd_ had a sister like that…but all the same, those people in cloaks… He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door."_**

"How rude! I hope he apologises!"

" '_**Sorry,' he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley realised that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile – "**_

"Really? Maybe they're just odd, not wizards."

"Who says they can't be both?"

" – _**and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: 'Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last!"**_

"What?"

"Voldemort's gone? That's fantastic!"

"Assuming they **mean** Voldemort."

"Now you're just in denial James."

"_**Even muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!'**_

_**And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off. Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled."**_

"Huh?"

Lily sighed "Expression James."

"Oh."

"_**He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination."**_

"He sounds very boring." commented James.

"He sounds like the sort of person Petunia would like." Lily added.

"_**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**_

'_**Shoo!' said Mr Dursley loudly.**_

_**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look."**_

"Definitely McGonagall." said Sirius. The other three nodded their agreement.

"_**Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. Mrs Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learnt a new word ('Shan't!')."**_

"Brat"

"_**Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living-room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**_

'_**And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.' The news reader allowed himself a grin. 'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight Jim?'**_

_**'Well, Ted,' said the weatherman, 'I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight.'**_

_**Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a Whisper, a whisper about the Potters…"**_

"It's a conspiracy!"

"Riiight…" They all backed away from Sirius.

"_**Mrs Dursley came into the living-room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?' **_

Didn't you say your sister was called Petunia?" asked Remus innocently.

"It's just a coincidence." she replied uneasily.

"_**As he had expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they usually pretended she didn't have a sister. 'No,' she said sharply. 'Why?'**_

'_**Funny stuff on the news,' Mr Dursley mumbled. 'Owls…shooting stars…and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…'**_

'**So?_' snapped Mrs Dursley._**

'**_Well I just thought…maybe…it was something to do with…you know…_her lot.'_"_**

"For Merlin's sake, you're not going to get cursed for saying 'wizard'."

"_**Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name ' Potter.' He decided he didn't dare."**_

"Wise man."

"Never argue with a woman. It's just stupid."

"_**Instead he said, as casually as he could, 'Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?'**_

'_**I suppose so,' said Mrs Dursley stiffly.**_

'_**What's his name again? Howard isn't it?'**_

'_**Harry. Nasty, common name if you ask me.' "**_

"Well **I** like it, so there!"

"…James, did you just stick your tongue out at a book?"

He blushed.

" '_**Oh, yes,' said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. 'Yes, I quite agree.' He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something.**_

_**Was he imagining things? Could all this have something to do with the Potters? If it did…if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it.**_

_**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind…"**_

"Wizards, just say wizards!"

"Calm down Lil, they're just wimps."

"**_He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on – he yawned and turned over – it couldn't affect _them_…"_**

"Of course, he's just jinxed it now."

"They wouldn't be in the book if it didn't affect them anyway."

"_**How very wrong he was."**_

"See?"

"_**Mr Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**_

_**A man appeared on the corner that cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground."**_

"Apparated."

"_**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt."**_

"Sounds like Professor Dumbledore."

"_**He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore."**_

"Did you peek again Sirius?"

"No, but you've gotta admit he does have a very long beard."

"True."

"_**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise that he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him."**_

"Because it's McGonagall."

"We get the point Sirius."

"_**He chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.' He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter."**_

"What's that?"

"It lights cigarettes, duh."

"Shutup Padfoot. You know I know nothing about muggles. What's a cigarette?"

"It's like a pipe…sort of."

"Ah."

"_**He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop."**_

"Oh! It's a Put-Outer! My dad has one of those for when he goes on raids in muggle areas."

"_**He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**_

'_**Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.' "**_

"Ha! I knew it! Oh yeah, oh yeah." Sirius started doing a weird celebratory dance.

"We **all** knew it Siri, it's not **that** much of an achievement." Remus said with amusement.

"_**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled."**_

"Ooh, what've you been doing Minnie? A local tomcat perhaps?"

"That's just sick Sirius." complained Lily. "Besides, her brain is still human…sort of."

" '_**How did you know it was me?' she asked.**_

'_**My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'**_

'_**You'd be stiff too if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said Professor McGonagall.**_

'_**All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here.' "**_

"A party! I wanna go!" The other three shook their heads at Sirius' childishness.

"Why's he like this James? I know he's immature, but I've never seen him **this **bad before."

"He just moved away from his family. They hate each other. He'll probably be back to normal by school."

"Oh joy." Remus said dryly.

"_**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. 'Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right,' she said impatiently. 'You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news.' She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls…shooting stars…Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense.' "**_

"Isn't that that Hufflepuff boy in the year above us that keeps getting into those bizarre accidents?"

"Yeah I think so."

" '_**You can't blame them,' said Dumbledore gently. 'We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years.' "**_

"Eleven years! That means we've got to put up with him for another five years!"

"Assuming this story is real."

"What else could it be James? They've even got the names right."

"It could be written by a wizard that escaped into the muggle world to hide."

"Possible but unlikely. Why would they choose **your **family?"

"'Cause we're all just brilliant obviously."

"There goes that head again James," warned Lily.

James pouted.

" '_**I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in muggle clothes, swapping rumours.' "**_

"Yay! More gossip!"

"**_She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on: 'A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really _has _gone, Dumbledore?'_**

'_**It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?' "**_

Lily giggled. "Typical Dumbledore technique to throw people off."

" '**_A _what?_'_**

'_**A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of muggle sweet I'm rather fond of.'**_

'**_No, thank you,' said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemons. 'As I say, even if You-Know-Who _has _gone – '_**

'**_My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this "You-Know-Who" nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: _Voldemort_.' "_**

"It **is **stupid that people flinch at the name. It's not like saying it will cause him to appear or anything." said Remus.

"Yeah, what he said!"

"_**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice. 'It all gets so confusing if we keep saying "You-Know-Who". I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.'**_

'**_I know you haven't,' said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. 'But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, _Voldemort_ was frightened of.'_**

'_**You flatter me,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'Voldemort had powers I will never have.'**_

'**_Only because you're too – well – _noble_ to use them.' "_**

"Are they flirting? 'Cause, really, that's an image I did **not **want to see." said James, making a face.

"Grow up James."

" '_**It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new ear-muffs.' "**_

"See? Flirting!"

"**_Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, 'The owls are nothing to the _rumours_ that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?' "_**

"This I wanna know. I'd heard he took precautions against death."

"Who did you hear that off?" asked James.

"My brother Regulus. You know he hangs out with that crowd. I hope he doesn't become a Death Eater, but he probably will."

"_**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day, for neither as a cat or as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.**_

'**_What they're _saying_,' she pressed on, 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. – "_**

"Hold on. That's not where we live. That's my granddad's old house."

"Maybe you move there after graduation."

" – **_The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – _dead.'_ "_**

Lily burst into tears.

"Are you crying 'cause you marry me, or that we're dead?" asked James, looking upset.

"I don't know. Probably the dead bit though."

"You can change it you know, prevent this stuff from happening." said Remus.

"Right. Note to self: Don't move to Godric's Hollow."

"_**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. 'Lily and James…I can't believe it…I didn't want to believe it…Oh, Albus…' "**_

"Aww, I knew she liked me really."

"How can you take this so calmly?"

"Like Moony said, I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen."

"_**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. 'I know…I know…' he said heavily. Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. – "**_

"Why not?"

"Shush."

" – _**No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power suddenly broke – and that's why he's gone.'"**_

"You **have **to be joking. What does he have that no one else does?"

"Let me read and you might find out." said Remus irritably.

"_**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**_

'**_It's – it's _true?_' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done…all the people he's killed…he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding…of all the things to stop him…but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'_**

'_**We can only guess,' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.' "**_

"Aww, I wanna know!" pouted Sirius.

"_**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles."**_

"She's crying? I wasn't aware she knew how."

"Don't be mean James."

"Sorry Lil."

"Whipped." Sirius muttered under his breath.

"_**Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It has twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge."**_

"I used to have one like that…I left it at Grimmauld Place though."

"_**It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?'**_

'**_Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why_ you're here, of all places?'_**

'_**I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.' "**_

"What? What about my parents?" asked James.

"We are at war y'know." Remus said sadly.

"And my parents are already dead. Car crash last February."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I'm coping."

" ' **_You don't mean – you _can't_ mean the people who live _here?_' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four."_**

"Yeah! Even if she's family, no magical child deserves to go to her. She **hates **magic! She'll neglect him!"

" '_**Dumbledore – you cant. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!'**_

'_**It's the best place for him,' – "**_

"No it's not!"

" – _**said Dumbledore firmly. 'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older, I've written them a letter.' "**_

"That proves it. He really **is **insane. You don't just explain things of this magnitude in a letter!" Lily exclaimed.

" '_**A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – "**_

"Wow." James said dreamily. My son is a legend."

" – _**I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future – "**_

"No fair! I want a Sirius Black day! We can all ride motorbikes and eat fudgemallow crunch ice-cream!"

"Yes Sirius…"

" – _**there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!'**_

'_**Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from that all until he's ready to take it?'**_

**_Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, 'Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is the_** **_boy getting here Dumbledore?' She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it._**

'_**Hagrid's bringing him.' "**_

"**What!** He trusted my baby with that great big oaf!"

"I thought you liked Hagrid." said Remus in confusion.

"Well I do…but you've got to admit he is a bit careless. I'm not sure a baby would be safe with him. What if he wanted to show Harry his pets?" She shuddered.

"Good point."

" '**_You think it – _wise_ – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?'_**

'_**I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore.**_

'_**I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place,' said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, 'but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?'**_

_**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them."**_

"I want one!"

"Padfoot you've been saying you want a motorbike for years."

"Yeah but now I want a flying one."

"_**If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots looked like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**_

'_**Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relived. 'at last. And where did you get that motorbike?'**_

"_**Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it me. – "**_

"Yay!"

"If you're able to give him a motorbike, then you must be alive. Right. I'll make you godfather so you can look after him so he doesn't have to go to Lil's sister."

"I want it joint with Remus," said Lily "at least he's responsible."

"Hey!" She gave him a **look.** "Never mind."

" – _**I've got him sir.'**_

'_**No problems, were there?'**_

'_**No, sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'**_

_**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair – "**_

"Ten Sickles he's got the curse." Sirius said.

"Wha?"

"I'm not taking that. **All **Potter men have had it for ages."

"What curse?" Lily tried again.

"You don't think my hair's this messy 'cause I can't be bothered brushing do you?"

"I thought you liked it like that. You're always messing it up."

He blushed.

" – _**over his forehead they could see a curiously-shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**_

'_**Is that where -?' whispered Professor McGonagall.**_

'_**Yes,' said Dumbledore. 'He'll have that scar for ever.' "**_

"My poor baby!" The boys backed away from Lily.

" '_**Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?'**_

'**_Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground._** **_– _**Handy." commented Remus.

"Dumbledore's knee. Not really an image I ever wanted to see."

" – _**Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with.' Dumbledore took Harry into his arms and turned towards the Dursley's house.**_

'_**Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog."**_

"They do sound quite pitiful." agreed James.

"I didn't know you owned a dog."

"Huh? Oh, um, I don't, but I heard one once…" _pleaseletherbuyitpleaseletherbuyitpleaseletherbuyit._

"Oh ok."

_Phew_

" ' _**Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall, 'you'll wake the muggles!'**_

'_**S-s-sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. 'But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with muggles –' "**_

"Poor little Harry indeed." Lily muttered darkly.

"You really don't like your sister do you?"

"Wait until you meet her."

" 'Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, - "

"Now **that's **more like the Minnie I know."

" – _**patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seem to have gone out.**_

'_**Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.' "**_

"**What? **That wretched old man! Leaving my baby on Petunia's doorstep then going to a party!"

"That **is **a bit harsh." commented Sirius.

" '_**Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, 'I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir.' Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**_

'_**I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall,' said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**_

_**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back into their street lamps so that Privet Drive suddenly glowed orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. 'Good luck, Harry,' he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.**_

**_A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking_** **_up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hour's time by Mrs Dursleys scream as he opened the front door to put out the milk bottles' – "_**

"I've gotta admit, that would be funny to watch. Her expression…"

" – _**nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… – "**_

"I really hate that kid." They all nodded in agreement.

" – **_he couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!'_** And that's the end of the chapter."

"I can't believe they celebrate his name yet abandon him with my sister! How could they?"

"There, there Lils. It's not going to happen. We're going to change it."

TBC


End file.
